Aside from Michael Jackson and the Jackson family, Freddie Gibbs is the biggest export out of Gary, Indiana. He's told a few stories about Michael Jackson returning to Gary in the past but apparently, his connection to MJ is a bit deeper than just sharing the same hometown.
Freddie Gibbs paid a visit to Jemele Hill's Unbothered podcast. It may surprise most considering their short-lived Twitter spat following Jay-Z's decision to partner with the NFL. The two addressed their back-and-forth at the beginning of the podcast but Jemele Hill got the exclusive drop on Freddie Gibbs' dad's rivalry with the late King of Pop.
"My dad was trying to be in music his whole life pretty much, I would say. Like he was a singer. Matter of fact, Michael Jackson beat that n***a in that god damn talent show and went on to be Michael Jackson, and that mothafucka hasn't been the same since. He's mad about that shit," he said. Freddie explained that his father and Michael Jackson were the same age and they were known in Gary as the two kids who could sing.
"So, Michael Jackson was your dad's rival?" Jemele asked.
"Yeah, damn near. Hell yeah," Freddie replied with a maniacal laugh. "Aye, Mike was fuckin' that n***a up, though, man. I be tellin that n***a, when I was little when Mike videos come on, I be like, 'See, Mike fuckin' you up, n***a. You can't f*ck with Mike.' And he'd be like, 'Fuck you, lil' n***a. And fuck Mike.' And I be like, 'You can sing your ass off but that n***a Mike can dance. Mike white now, n***a. You can't turn white, n***a. You can't do all the shit that Mike do. Mike got a monkey, n***a... I went against my daddy for Mike."
Check the full podcast below with the MJ talk coming around the 26:30 minute mark.